Weed-destroyer



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PAUL E. ERIOKSON, OF SOANDIA, KANSAS.

W EED-DESTROYER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 591,391, dated October 12, 1897.

Application filed April 14, 1897. sea nt. 632,176. on model.)

specification.

This invention relates to weed-destroyers for use on railways, its object being to provide a simple and efficient device for this purpose which may be attached to any ordinary railway-car and be drawn' along in contact with the bed of the track between and outside the rails and by its weight crush and destroy any weeds with which it may come in contact during its movement. I

A further object of the invention is to provide devices by means of which the pressure of the weed-destroyer upon the ground may be adjusted, or by means of which it may be elevated entirely out of contact with the ground.

The invention will be fully described hereinafter and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a flat-car with my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section. Fig. 31s a vertical transverse section. Fig.

4 is a perspective View of the weed-killer detached, looking at the under side.

Similar reference-numerals indicate similar parts in the several figures.

1 indicates an ordinary flat-car, and 2 the weed-destroyer. This Weed-destroyer consists of a metal plate of any suitable length a a and preferably of a width equal to thelength dicated at 4, in order that the plate may ride up over any solid obstruction with which it may come in contact during its movement. Each end of the plate 2 is connected to the car by means of rods or chains 5, and the connection between the rods or chains and the car may be at any desired point and either to the frame or to the bottom of the platform,

as preferred. The essential feature is that the plate will be so attached to the car as to move with it in either direction. The connection between'the rods or chains 5 and the car will preferably be a detachable one, and for this purpose I have shown eyebolts- 6, firmly secured to the car, and hooks 7 on the ends of the rods or chains 5, engaging said eyebolts. Other devices may, however, be employed for this purpose, and the connection may be a permanent one, if preferred.

8 indicates levers which are pivoted on standards 13, supported on the platform of the car, and the pivot-point of each lever is near one endthereof. The short arms of the levers are pivotally connected to the upper ends of links 9, which links extend down through openings 10 in the platform and are pivoted between spaced ears 11 at the respective ends of the plate 2.

14 indicates weights which are adjustably supported on the long arms 12 of the levers 8, and these weights are designed to adjust the pressure of the metal plate 2 upon the ground and are intended to be sufficiently heavy to elevate the plate 2 above the ground when moved to the proper position on the arms 12 of the levers. Any suitable device may be employed to hold the weights in their desired positions on the lever, and I have illustrated set-screws 15 for this purpose.

On some railways the bed between the rails is arched or convex, and in such case the portion of the plate which is intended to engage the road-bed between the rails will be concaved to correspond with the contour of the road-bed. In operation the plate 2 will be connected to a car in the manner already de scribed, and thecar will then be drawn over the rails in the usual manner and the plate will be slid over the bed of the track and be in contact therewith, both inside and outside the rails. This sliding movement of the plate and its heavy weight will crush, disintegrate, and destroy the weeds with which it may come in contact during its-movement. When it is desired to elevate the. plate 2 above the surfaceof the ground, the weights 14 will be moved toward the outer ends of the long arms 12 of the levers 8 until they overcome the weight of the plate.

It will be understood that changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is- 1. In a weed destroyer for railways, the j combination with a car, of a metal plate connected at each end to the said ear and adapted to engage the road-bed on either side of the rails, said plate having longitudinal grooves in its lower face to fit over the rails, substantially as described.

2. In a weed-destroyer for railways, the combination with a car, of a metal plate connected at each end to the car, said plate havin g its ends inclined upwardly and outwardly from its bottom, and being provided with longitudinal grooves in its lower face to fit over the rails of the track, whereby said plate is enabled to slide upon the road-bed, both inside and outside the rails, substantially as described.

3. In a weeddestroyer for railways, the combination with a car, of a plate secured at each end to the car and adapted to engage the road-bed, levers pivoted in standards supported on the car-platform and pivotally connected at one end to the ends of said plate, and weights adjustable on said lever, substantially as described.

4. In a weeddestroyer for railways, the combination with a car, of a plate connected at each end to the ear and adapted to en gage the road-bed, levers pivoted in standards supported on the platform of the ear, links extending through openings in the platform and being pivotally connected at their lower ends to the ends of said plate and at their upper ends to said levers, weights adjustably supported on the long arms of said levers, and means to hold said weights in their adjusted position, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

PAUL E. ERIOKSON.

Witnesses:

CHARLES A. VARDR'UM, ALBERT SCHLAPBACK. 

